That’s a wrap for National Apprenticeship Week 2023!

"From making connections to training providers, working with our local schools and colleges, getting employers signed up to our Fair Chance Employment Programme or supporting someone with our newly launched Warwickshire Supported Employment Service, we are here for Warwickshire."

February brought National Apprenticeship Week 2023 and what a week it was in Warwickshire! From attending launch events, jobs fairs, engaging with businesses, liaising with schools and colleges, and celebrating everything apprenticeship-related on our social media, Warwickshire Skills Hub had it covered.

The week began with the team attending Balfour Beatty Vinci’s Apprenticeship Pledge Launch. Twenty contractors who are working on behalf of HS2’s construction partner Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), came together to sign a pledge promising to invest in upskilling 200 more local people. Each firm will ensure at least 5% of their total workforce are apprentices.

The team also attended Parker Meggitt’s apprenticeship careers open day where we had the opportunity to meet their team, discuss the apprenticeship programmes on offer in more detail and experience a tour of their exciting facility. Heather, one of our Business Skills Support Advisor’s, took along her Dad, who started his working career as an apprentice in 1952! He had a wonderful day.

Nuneaton MP Marcus Jones and DWP hosted an apprenticeship jobs fair which was a great success. We had lots of positive conversations with local people who are looking for work, about the support services we have on offer to help get them back into employment.

Across our social media streams, we posted daily, sharing useful hints and tips on how to recruit an apprentice, videos of businesses who have already benefited from our support and any current apprenticeship opportunities in our county. We looked at what it was like to employ an apprentice from a business’s perspective, what it was like to be an apprentice and guidance for parents.

We also had the latest news on T Levels and Industry Placements. Offering a T Level placement gives you early access to the brightest young people entering the market and the opportunity to develop your workforce of the future. The hashtag #NAW2023 was everywhere!

As a team, we engaged with 23 businesses with lots of conversations around recruiting apprentices. To top the week off, two Warwickshire SMEs were successfully awarded funds from our Levy Share Programme, to fully fund the cost of their apprentices training!

The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2023 was Skills for Life, and with the support available from Warwickshire Skills Hub, we can make this happen. From making connections to training providers, working with our local schools and colleges, getting employers signed up to our Fair Chance Employment Programme or supporting someone with our newly launched Warwickshire Supported Employment Service, we are here for Warwickshire.

If you would like to know more about how Warwickshire Skills Hub can support your business, please contact louisestolz@warwickshire.gov.uk or heatherdocksey@warwickshire.gov.uk